Maeve Binchy - Evening Class

'Let's go hear about Vestal Virgins,' he said, smiling from ear to ear.

'What?'

'Lizzie! Didn't you read your notes? Mr. Dunne gave us one page, he said we'd all be able to remember that much.'

'Give it to me quick,' said Lizzie .

Aidan Dunne had drawn a little map highlighting the places they would visit and which he would describe. She read it speedily and returned it.

'Do you think he's in bed with Signora?' she asked, eyes shining.

'If so, Lorenzo and Constanza will be feeling a bit in the way,' said Bill.

Constanza and Signora had dressed and were about to come down to breakfast. There was an air that something was about to be said.

'Constanza?'

'Si, Signora'?'

'Could I ask you to take notes when Aidan is speaking today? I can't go, and I'm upset and, well, I think he's upset. He went to such trouble, such great trouble.' Signora's face looked very sad.

'And you have to miss it?'

'Yes, I do.'

'I'm sure he'll understand but I will pay great attention, and yes, of course I'll tell you everything.' There was a pause, then Connie spoke again. 'Oh, and Signora?'

'Si, ConstanzaT

'It's just that… Well, did you ever hear anyone in our group saying anything bad about me, resentful, or possibly caught up in losing money to my husband or anything?'

'No, never. I never heard anyone saying anything about you. Why do you ask?'

'Someone left me a rather horrible note. It's probably a joke, but it upset me.'

'What did it say? Please tell me.'

Connie unfolded it and showed it to the other woman. Signora's eyes filled with tears. 'When did this happen?'

'It was left at the desk yesterday evening before we went out. Nobody knows who left it. I have asked but the Buona Seras don't know.'

'It can't be anyone in this group, Constanza, I teli you that.'

'But who else knows we are in Rome?'

Signora remembered something. 'Aidan said there was madwoman back in Dublin enquiring what hotel we were all staying in. Could that be it? Someone who followed us here?'

'That's hard to believe, it's very far-fetched.'

'But it's even harder to believe that it's any member of our group,' Signora said.

'Why me? Now? And in Rome?'

'Is there anyone with a grievance, do you think?'

'Hundreds because of what Harry did, but he's locked up in gaol.'

'Not someone mad, disturbed possibly?'

'Not that I know.' Connie shook herself deliberately. She must spend no time speculating and worrying Signora as well. 'I'll just walk well away from the traffic side of things and be watchful. And Signora, I'll take notes. I promise you, it will be just as good as being there.'

'Alfredo, this had better be important. You have no idea how much I have upset somebody by missing a lecture.'

'There are many lectures, Signora.'

'This one was special. A great deal of trouble had been taken. Anyway?'

He made them coffee and sat down beside her. 'Signora, I have a very big favour to ask of you.'

She looked at him, anguished. He was going to ask her for money. He could not know that she had nothing. Literally nothing. When she got back to Dublin she would be penniless. She would have to ask the Sullivans to let her live free in their house until September when payment would start again in the school. Every last coin she had, had been changed into lire so that she could pay her way on this viaggio . How could this boy from his simple village and working as a waiter in a shabby restaurant in Rome know this? He must see her as responsible for forty people, a person of importance. Power even.

'It may not be easy. There's a lot you do not know,' she began.

'I know everything, Signora. I know my father loved you, and that you loved him. That you sat in that window sewing while we all grew up. I know that you behaved so well to my mother and that even though you didn't want to go, when she and my uncles said it was time to leave, you left.'

'You know all this?' Her voice was a whisper.

'Yes, we all knew.'

'For how long?'

'As long as I remember.'

'It's so hard to believe. I thought… well, it doesn't matter what I thought…'

'And we were all so sad when you went away.'

She lifted her face and smiled at him. 'You were? Truly?'

'Yes, all of us. You helped us all. We know.'

'How do you know?'

'Because my father did things he would not have done otherwise, Maria's wedding, the shop in. Annunziata, my brother going to America… everything. It was all you.'

'No, not all. He loved you, he wanted the best. Sometimes we talked. That was all.'

'We wanted to find you when Mama died. We wanted to write and tell you. But we didn't even know your name.'

'That was good of you.'

'And now, now God sends you into this restaurant. It was God who sent you, I really believe that.' She was silent. 'And now I can ask you the great, great favour.' She held tightly onto the table. Why had she no money? Most women of her age had some money, even a little. She had been so uncaring about possessions. If there was anything she could sell for this boy, who must be very desperate to ask her…

'The favour, Signora…'

'Yes, Alfredo.'

'You know what it is?'

'Ask me Alfredo, and if I can I will.'

'We want you to come back. We want you to come home, Signora. Home where you belong.'

Constanza didn't eat breakfast, she went off to the shops. She bought the soft shoes she yearned for, she got a long silk scarf for Signora, and cut off the designer label in case Elizabetta would recognise the name and exclaim at how much it must have cost. And then she bought what she had set out to buy and went back to join the trip to the Forum.

They all loved the lecture. Luigi said you could nearly see the poor Christians being led into the Colosseum. Mr. Dunne said that he was only a crusty old Latin teacher and he promised he wouldn't keep them long, but when it was over they clapped and wanted more. His smile was surprised. He answered all their questions, and occasionally looked at Constanza, who seemed to be waving a camera near him all the time but never took a picture.

They separated for lunch to eat their sandwiches in little groups. Connie Kane watched Aidan Dunne. He had no sandwiches with him, he just walked to a wall and sat there looking absently out into the distance before him. He had told everyone the route back to the hotel. He made sure that Laddy was in the hands of Bartolomeo and his funny little girlfriend Fiona. Then he just sat there, sad that the person he had prepared the lecture for had not turned up.

Connie wondered whether to join him or not. But she didn't think that there was anything she could say that might help. So she walked to a restaurant and ordered herself grilled fish and wine. It was good to be able to do so easily. But she barely tasted the food as she wondered who could have come from Dublin to frighten her. Could Harry have sent someone? It was too alarming to think about. It would be preposterous to try and explain it to the Italian police, and difficult to get any detectives in Ireland to take her seriously either. An anonymous letter in a hotel in Rome? It was impossible to take seriously. But she walked very close to the walls and shops as she returned to the hotel.

And she enquired nervously at the desk had there been any more messages.

'No, Signora Kane, nothing at all.'

Barry and Fiona were going to the bar where Barry had met all the wonderful Italians during the World Cup. He had pictures taken that summer, flags and bunting and Jack Charlton hats.

'Have you written and told them we're coming?' Fiona asked.

'No, it's not that kind of scene, you just turn up and they're all there.'